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Topic: Icon of St. Varus (Read 4712 times)

does anybody know where i could buy an icon of St. Varus (feast day October 19, new calendar)? i could only find one image of an icon of him, from oca.org, but i am interested in any other depictions of him, and any place online where i could purchase an icon of him. i searched all the usual haunts (skete.com and holy transfiguration monastery) and found nothing. maybe you all know where to look for these things better than i do - any tips? thanx in advance.

hmm... that shortening of her skirt in the icon that was done by the iconagrapher looks blatantly obvious.. you think it was intended it to have a subliminal message. Like the Da Vinci Code just another word for scamming people of their money. "Oh no the Mona Lisa's looking at the corner of her eyes and smirking! She's knows something that the church doesn't... oh what a travesty

Are you living in Illinois because their is a shop that's next to an Orthodox library collection in Oak Lawn. It's small and the shop wasn't even an official store but they had a few things for sale like crosses. They probably wouldn't have limited and rare icons there though so probably doesn't help. But good luck searching it...

Martyr Varus and with him Seven monastic martyrs lived in Egypt during the period of several persecutions against Christians (late third to early fourth century). Varus (Ouaros) was a military commander and secretly a Christian. He gave assistance to many of the persecuted and imprisoned Christians, and he visited the prisoners at night. He also brought food to the prisoners, dressed their wounds, and gave them encouragement.

Once Varus spent a whole night talking with seven imprisoned monks. These men were Christian teachers who had been beaten and starved. Varus marched with the teachers when they were led to their execution. The judge, seeing Varus' strong faith, had him fiercely beaten. Varus died during the beating. After his death, the monks were beheaded.

(from oca.org) that must have been the garb of soldiers in Alexandria in the 4th century. anyway, thank you for the tip - i dont live anywhere near Illinois (im in NY), but thanx for trying anyway.

The night of All Hallowes is also the day of commemoration of the holymartyr Varus (Uar in Russian). It seems appropriate that his feast falls onthis day.

I wonder if you would think it worthwhile for the comfort of the faithfulwho have relatives who died outside the Church to bring to their attentionthe devotion to Saint Varus and the Prayer which can be said to him. Theinformation below was sent to the "Orthodoxia" list by Archpriest AlbanBarter of Wales.

One often hears converts to Orthodoxy express their sorrow that there is,understandably, no Orthodox service that the priest can serve on behalf oftheir beloved relatives and friends who have departed this life outside theChurch. They feel the inadequancy of their own prayers, and look withoutmuch hope for guidance and help. Owing to the widespread apostasy in Russiaunder the Communists, this feeling is now very common there amongst thosewho have remained faithful. In response to this, an age-old tradition,fallen into disuse, has been revived. There is someone in Heaven whoseprayers are very strong, wanting and willing to help in such cases - the 4thcentury martyr St Varus.

A booklet has been printed in Russia containing his life and a specialservice to him, with a prayer for his help. Icons are being made and arevery much in demand.

How did this tradition begin? St Varus was an officer in the Roman army inEgypt, a secret Christian, who frequently visited a group of imprisonedChristians, supplying their every need. He greatly admired their courage,feeling he would never himself have the strength to bear torture. However,through the prayers of these Christians, he finally gained courage andoffered himself as a sacrifice along with them.He was cut to pieces with knives and thrown onto a dung heap, from where aChristian woman, Cleopatra, took his body secretly. Her husband was also anofficer in the Roman army and had recently been killed. She was grantedpermission to take his body back to her home in Palestine. Instead, wishingto honour the martyr, she took the body of the holy martyr Varus, buried hisrelics in her family vault, and built a church there dedicated to him.Gradually he became known throughout the region as a great healer andwonderworker.

Cleopatra herself prayed there frequently with great devotion, especiallyfor her only son, John, who had just gone into the army. To her greatgrief, the young man died shortly afterwards (some versions record that herson died as a child on the very day that the martyrdom of Varus was blessed)and she went to the tomb, bitterly complaining that the saint had notanswered her prayers. That night the saint appeared to her in a dream,together with her son, both of them radiant with glory. "You asked me tobeg God to grant John whatever was most pleasing to Him and beneficial foryou both. He has taken him into His heavenly army, where he serves withgreat joy. How can you complain? Would you rather keep him for the army ofan earthly king? Your prayers to me are always remembered. Moreover I haveprayed for all your relatives, buried with me in the vault, that althoughthey died outside the Church, all their sins would be forgiven, and God hasheard my prayers."

Cleopatra's joy was unbounded, and she passed on the good news to everyone.From that revelation in her vision, the custom grew up of begging St Varus'prayers for deceased relatives and friends, whatever their faith. Isn'tthat good news for all of us converts?------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is the special prayer to Saint Varus:

O Holy, wondrous Martyr Varus, who, burning with zeal for the Heavenly King,didst confess Him before thy torturers and didst greatly suffer for Him!Now the Church doth venerate thee, as one glorified with the glory of heavenby Christ the Lord, Who granted thee the abundant grace to approach Himboldly. And now, standing before Him together with the Angels, rejoicing onhigh, beholding the Most Holy Trinity clearly, and enjoying the UncreatedLight, remember the suffering of our relatives who have died outside theFaith, and accept our pleas, and as thou didst intercede for the unbelievingancestors of Cleopatra and didst free them from eternal suffering, rememberthose who have died unbaptized and have been buried in an ungodly manner,and pray earnestly that they may be delivered from eternal darkness, that wemay all, with one mouth and one heart, praise the Most Merciful Creator untothe ages of ages.

Thank you for your posts. Yes, St. Varus' intercession for non-Orthodox is exactly why I was in search of an icon of him. Thank you for posting that information, since I didn't have time to include it in my original post. And thank you also for the links to icons, etc.

I wonder if you would think it worthwhile for the comfort of the faithfulwho have relatives who died outside the Church to bring to their attentionthe devotion to Saint Varus and the Prayer which can be said to him.

I know I'm reviving an 9 year old thread, but rather than restating all the information that is already laid out in this thread that relates to the issue I am asking I thought I would comment here.

I've seen/heard this discussed before, but don't remember anyone relating their personal experience with it Liturgically, other than just as an answer given to those who ask what else can I do.

My question is has anyone served/observed either of these services?Was it only a self-directed reader service or were clergy involved? Where was it served, Church, gravesite, home? Is it appropriate to serve in a church? I know you can not have a Panikhida for non-Orthodox, but how can a cannon or Akathist of the Church be inappropriate in a parish church?If it was served in a church, rather than a private service, were names put forward for commemoration in some way similar to Divine liturgy and Panikhidas?